Rug



Aug. 16, 1932. J. D. HARRIS 1,871,849 RUG Filed Feb. 1e. 1932 Patented Aug. 16, 1932 PATENT OFFICE JOH D. HARRIS, OF LARCHMONT, NEW YORK BUG Application led February 16.11932. Serial No. 598,285.

This invention relates tothe manufacture of rugs, more particularly to rugs having a felt base.

There has been Wellknown on the market the so-called India or Numdah rug, which as its name implies is manufactured in India and surrounding countries. It comprises a thin felt base, having designs hand woven with woolen threads thereon. Rugs of this character are comparatively weak, due.,

to the felt base and the thinness thereof, s0 that in use they quickly deteriorate.

Furthermore, the sizes of the rugs are irregular, it being almost impossible to obtain rugs of standard size such as are desirable in the American trade. The colors of the bases cannot be controlled as the workers in India choose their own colors which may not be saleable in this country. Often the designs on the rugs do not meet with favor-here and the importer may find himself with unsaleable rugs on his hands. -Because of the thin- .ness of the felt base, the India rug does not have the soft cushion like effect which is highly desirable to the trade.

.In view of the disadvantages of this type of rug, some of which have been enumerated above,.it becomes highly desirable to vhave a .rug of this character, all the factors of whichmay be under complete control. It is, there; fore, the object ef this invention to provide .e felt base rug Which is strong, which is readily made in regular sizes, wherein the colors and the designs may be easily controlled and which has the soft cushion like eii'ect when walking on it.

It is also amongthe objects of'this invention to provide a process of making the same which will render this type of rug cheap and 4o highly durable.

In practicing my invention I provide a thick felt base, which is in all cases greater than 1A; of an inch, and may be as thick as 1/1 V of an inch or greater. The base is made .of

at least two layers of felt, having therebetween a layer of coarse mesh woven fabric of a material which is stronger than the base.

Usually this fabric is of cotton that is spun hhers. It so reinforces; the A-felt. base that' design on the base.

it may now be easily' and readily Worked.-A

in a machine operatingat high speed Without distorting or tearing, or otherwise in- ]uring the felt base.

. I place this base in a shuttle embroiderlng machine, and embroider thereon a suit- Ll able design. Ordinarily the base is of such size that a plurality of rugs are embroidered at the same time, the finished product being taken from the machine and cut apart into a number of rugs.

. 00 In-order to make possible the placing of the felt base inthe machine and to allow it to be embroidered without difficulties, I providea basted woven fabric or tape along the edges of the felt base. Preferably it extends 6I around the entire circumference of the base, but .it may be placed only at intervals or portions thereof. This fabric serves the purpose of holding the felt base firmly in position in the embroidering machine.

I have found that it is im ossible to utilize inthe embroidering the or inary Wool yarn which had heretofore been .used inthe hand made rugs. I found lthat, in attempting to work the embroidery into the felt that be- 'I5 cause of the thickness of the feltfand particularly because of the presenceof the fabric therein, the Wool yarn was cut and injured so that it became impossible to embroider a After a considerable amount of experimentation it was determined that it was essential to have a thread which was stronger than the base. Il found that a thread having a core of cotton with wool surrounding the same t-o give it the appearance of a Wool yarn was suitable for my purpose. I also found that an all cotton thread, that is, a thread of spun fibers, Which maybe termed a coarse sizeof combed peeler yarn Was also vsuitable in this process.`

In the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a plurality of rugs integrally united and in the condition 95 in vwhich the-article is taken from the machine after completion of the design,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vien7 of a corner of a rug showing the character and location 0f the reinforcing fabric therein, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken through line 3 3 of Figure 1.

The article comprises the base 1 of felt, consisting of two layers 2 and 3 of felt, having therebetween a cotton or like fabric 4, which is ordinarily of coarse mesh, although it ma)y be nely woven. I prefer a coarse mesh because it allows the layers of felt tobe merc firmly united and it offers less resistance of the passage of Aneedles ofthe embroidering machine. It, therefore, enables the use of thicker bases than would otherwise be the case.

Along the edges of the base 1 are basted a series of tapes or strips of woven fabric 5, 6, 7 and 8 by basting stitches 9. The material is then placed in a shuttle embroidcring machine, the fabric strips being secured to pins in the machine which hold the base 1 rigidly in position. The machine is then caused to embroider designs 10 and 11 on the base 1, cach of these designs being on a separate rug. The article is vthen removed from the machine, the tape 5, 6, 'i' and 8 removed and the rugs cut apart at point 14. They are now completed and ready for the market.

It will be noted that my process results in the manufacture quickly and by machine .methods of a plurality of rugs of uniform predetermined and controlled designs and colors. lVhereas rugs of this character made by hand have heretofore been mostly in dark colors it is now possible for the first time to have this type of rug made with bases of light or pastel shades. If a demand arises for certain colors of base, certain designs or certain coloringY of designs, the machines may be quickly changed to give the popular character of rug desired at the time. This was impossible with the old imported rug because of the impossibility of quickly changing, in view of the fact that it took months to manufacture such rugs, vand it took weeks for shipment thereof to this country.

Although I have described my invention setting forth a single embodiment thereof,

Ait will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many variations in the construction and in the process of manufacture of my rug may be made within the scope of the invention. For example, although I have shown the manufacture of two rugsl integrally united, 1n ordinary practice I make considerably more than two rugs and the rugs may be varied in size and in design at will. It is not absolutely essential yto have the tape continuous and on all four sides of the base as it may be possible to utilize discontinuous tape or even tabs at considerable intervals to hold the base in the machine. The base may be of more than two layers of felt and there may be more than one layer of fabric therein to give additional strength or additional thickness.` T hese and other changes may be made 1n my invention, within the spirit thereof,

the character of my invention being set forth m the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. An article of manufacture comprising' a rug having a base of at east one layer of felt, a fabric ofspun fibers on one side of said layer, a design embroidered on said base, the threads of said design being of spun bers and passing through said felt and fabric, the design appearing` on the surface of the felt opposite to said fabric.

2. An article of manufacture comfprising arug having a base of a plurality o layers of. felt, a fabric of spun fibers interposed between said layers, and a design embroidered on said base, the threads of said design being of spun fibers` and passing through said felt and fabric.

3. An article of manufacture comprising a rug having a base of a plurality of layers of felt, a fabric of spun fibers interposed between'said layers, and a design embroidered on said base, the threads of said design being of spun fibers resembling Wool yarn and passing through said felt and fabric.

4. An article of manufacture comprising a rug having a base of a plurality of layers i of felt, a fabric of spun fibers interposed between said layers, and a design embroidered on said base, the threads of said design being of spun fibers with wool surrounding said spun fibers and passing through said felt and fabric.

5. An article of manufacture comprising a rug having a base of a plurality of layers of felt, a fabric of spun fibers inter osed between said layers, and a design em roidered on said base, the threads of said design -being of coarse size combed peeler yarn and passing through said felt and fabric.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name ,this 11th day of February,

JOHN D. HARRIS. 

